Flexible Membrane Seal for Electrical Box Passages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical devices with mounting boxes struggle to maintain perfect sealing against walls with defects in flatness or old seals, allowing water to penetrate the electrical functional block area.
Innovation Solution
An electrical device with a mounting box featuring a seal that is cut or perforated at the passage zone of the bottom wall to accommodate crossing elements, ensuring a tight fit and complete sealing around the element, using a single seal that covers multiple passage zones and is elastic enough to deform for passage without removing material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is placed around each passage of a through-wall component to prevent water penetration, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the seal becomes vulnerable to wall unevenness and deterioration, compromising reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible membrane seal that can deform to accommodate irregularities in the wall surface and maintain contact. The membrane is designed to be elastic and adaptable, allowing it to conform to the wall's contour even when the wall is uneven or the seal deteriorates, thereby maintaining continuous sealing effectiveness without compromising reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a layer of soft plastic material on the back panel before the seal is installed. This preliminary protective layer compensates for wall unevenness and prevents direct contact between the seal and irregular wall surfaces, ensuring the seal maintains its integrity and sealing effectiveness over time despite wall deterioration
2Reliability
If multiple separate seals are used around each passage, then sealing coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate seals into a single continuous flexible membrane that covers all passage zones. This unified seal structure eliminates the need for multiple discrete seals, reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive sealing coverage across all cable and screw passages through the back panel
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced sealing by ensuring that water and dust are prevented from entering the electrical functional block area, even with irregularities in the wall surface, and maintains sealing integrity after the crossing element is removed, thus preventing electrical risks.
Implementation Method 1
at least one seal placed against the bottom wall on an outside side of the mounting box, opposite the inside side, around at least one passage area and suitable for conforming to the cross-section of the passing element
Data Source
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AI summary
The apparatus has an assembly box comprising a passage zone in the form of an emerging opening at a bottom wall for passage of a traversing element e.g. cable or screw, across the bottom wall. The box includes an arrangement of fragile zones that facilitate creation of the opening by separation of a detachable portion (3). A joint (11) is placed against the bottom wall on an external side of the assembly box, opposed to interior side and around the passage zone. The joint is engaged with a section of the traversing element to seal the passage zone. An independent claim is also included for a method for installing an electrical apparatus.